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What technologies are going to go mainstream in 2009?  The following four technologies will shape your everyday life starting in 2009.  Don’t expect everything to change by tomorrow, but you’ll see. 

Wireless USB

While wireless USB hubs are currently available, they are priced too high for widespread adoption.  I expect this to become much cheaper in 2009 with more devices sporting wireless USB built in. 

What devices will have this new technology?  Point and shoot cameras, speaker systems, and printers should have the most success since they do not require that much bandwidth to be successful.  I’m sure someone will come out with wireless external hard drives, but they will be too slow for most users.

WiMAX

Free public Wi-Fi never seems to get out of the gate since major telecoms usually lobby to stop such things.  WiMAX on the other hand is just another service that can be provided by the telecoms.  Sprint’s XOHM in Baltimore is probably a good indication that the service will spread.  Baltimore is big enough to test market something like this and the bugs ought to be worked out within 2009 for widespread coverage. 

Home server appliances

Netbooks are huge right now.  Lots of people are grabbing them up as a second or even third computer.  Once you start introducing multiple computers in a location, you’ve got to have a network.  Once you start using more than one computer in a day, you’ll want to access your media from any one of the computers.  That all adds up to having a home server.

Microsoft has its Windows Home Server software and HP has put their own spin on it with their HP MediaSmart Server which will work with Windows and Mac machines out of the box.  Right now, geeks can easily set up servers and withstand the sometimes clunky networking.

2009 will be the year that the server becomes something for less geeky people.  I’m not saying your granny is going to be installing a server, but it will be easier to have one in the home.

802.11n standard finalized

Wikipedia says that the standard is supposed be finalized in November of 2009.  I expect this to get done earlier.  Draft-N has been around for such a long time, that it is only a matter of time.  802.11n is something that will help build a more networked wireless home to connect computers, televisions, and other gadgets.  Expect electronics makers to try to get this standard finalized to increase sales of networked products. 

What do you expect to see in 2009?  Sound off in the comments.